We shall advance R&D by bringing together outstanding researchers from Japan and overseas, and contribute to the realization of KAITEKI through innovation. We shall recognize the importance of our own and others' intellectual property rights and respect such rights.

R&D is a principal of MOT, one of the three axes of KAITEKI Management. We continuously pursue innovation as it is the driving force behind the continued growth of the Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Group (MCHC Group), and contributes to the realization of KAITEKI.

We aim to maximize KAITEKI Value, or MCHC corporate value, by focusing R&D targets on our three decision criteria for corporate activities, Sustainability, Health, and Comfort, and through our triple combination of R&D strategy with business strategy and intellectual property (IP) strategy. Based on our strengths of molecular design, function creation, further value addition, processing and device technologies, and an R&D system consisting of approximately 4,500 people across the Group, and leveraging partnerships with industries, universities and governments from a global perspective, we maintain a high level of competitiveness and are able to achieve quick results.

As globalization of the economy continues with markets expanding and becoming more complex, the MCHC Group believes that to realize synergies between each of its companies and achieve further growth, it is vital to increase the value of its patents, know-how, brands, and other accumulated intellectual capital, and leverage it strategically.

When the MCHC Group discovers new technologies, products, or services, it protects that value legally by gaining IP rights through patenting or other methods. We take appropriate measures when our IP rights are infringed by other parties. At the same time, we respect the valid IP rights of other parties, performing sufficient preliminary surveys to ensure we do not infringe any rights and pursue initiatives such as developing substitute technologies or technological workarounds so that we do not use the IP in question or we acquire usage rights from the other party.

We also target expansion of operating revenue in the MCHC Group as a whole, furthering IP synergies between Group companies by strengthening competitiveness and increasing R&D productivity as a result of the leveraging of IP between Group companies. At the same time, by utilizing each Group company's IP in mutually complementary ways, we aim to maintain the value of IP throughout the Group and to assert and protect our rights against third parties.